The BIG Lab is proud to congratulate predoctoral fellows Zeina Shalaby and Amadou Jawo as they begin the next stage of their academic careers. This fall, Zeina will pursue a PhD in Economics at University College London, while Amadou will join the University of Houston. During their time at the BIG Lab, both contributed to research projects across a range of development economics topics while building the technical, analytical, and collaborative skills that will support them throughout their careers.
After completing her research assistantship at the BIG Lab, Zeina Shalaby will begin her doctoral studies at University College London. In choosing a PhD program, she sought advice from faculty across the BIG Lab, ultimately selecting UCL for its strong economics department and vibrant development economics community.
Reflecting on her experience at the BIG Lab, Zeina credits the Lab with shaping the way she approaches research.
"The BIG Lab taught me the importance of building research
incrementally," she said. "Starting with simple models, running sanity checks along the way, and developing strong systems for organizing and documenting research are lessons I'll carry with me throughout my PhD."
Working on projects involving geospatial analysis also sparked her interest in agricultural economics and the use of satellite data to answer development questions in data-scarce settings. At UCL, she looks forward to strengthening her theoretical foundations while continuing to explore research on agricultural development, labor markets, education, and inequality.
Amadou Jawo will begin a PhD in Economics at the University of Houston, where he plans to pursue research in development economics with interests in early childhood health, education policy, labor markets, migration, political economy, and the measurement of economic outcomes. He hopes to use policy changes and natural experiments to generate evidence that informs policymaking in low- and middle-income countries.
Reflecting on his time at the BIG Lab, Amadou said the experience showed him that producing high-quality research extends well beyond running regressions.
"I've learned the importance of careful data construction, documentation, replication, teamwork, and attention to detail," he said. "Most importantly, I've learned that good research requires curiosity, patience, and a willingness to keep learning."
He is looking forward to growing as an independent researcher, learning from faculty and fellow students, and continuing to produce rigorous, policy-relevant research while maintaining the collaborations and relationships he built at the BIG Lab.
We thank Zeina and Amadou for their many contributions to the BIG Lab and wish them every success as they begin this exciting next chapter.
